The next eclipse in Spain will be in two weeks: date and time of the partial lunar eclipse on August 28

Public observations of lunar eclipses in Spain do not have specific regulations of their own: they fall, depending on their format, under the general regime of public shows and recreational activities, the rules of use of public spaces, the regulations on occupational risk prevention, and those on data and image protection. The specific requirements depend on the autonomous community and the municipality, but the scheme is usually repeated: prior authorization or notification to the competent administration, civil liability insurance, a basic safety plan, and compliance with regulations on minors and personal data. If the event is presented as a “cultural event” with telescopes and scientific explanation, it is usually processed as a recreational activity; if it is presented as a protest gathering, it may fall under the right of assembly regime. Below are summarized the most relevant legal blocks.

Regime of shows and recreational activities

Almost all communities have their own show laws, which apply to cultural events open to the public, even if they are free and outdoors. Examples include:

• Law 13/1999 of Andalusia
• Law 17/1997 of Madrid (amended, among others, by Law 4/2013 and Law 5/2015)
• Law 11/2009 of Catalonia
• Law 14/2010 of the Valencian Community (amended by Law 6/2018)
• Law 10/2017 of Galicia

These regulations usually require, for occasional or extraordinary activities:

• Prior communication or authorization to the autonomous community or the city council, depending on the size and type of event.
• Proof of safety conditions (estimated capacity, access control if applicable, minimum lighting, signage, etc.).
• Having civil liability insurance for damages to attendees or third parties.
• Respecting noise and coexistence time limits established in the law itself and local ordinances.

Use of public roads and municipal spaces

If the observation takes place in squares, streets, or viewpoints of public ownership, it is usually necessary to:

• Request authorization for occupation of public roads from the city council (installation of telescopes, tables, tents, etc.).
• If using municipal buildings or land (sports centers, schoolyards, civic centers), sign the corresponding agreement or usage license that will set capacity, schedules, cleaning, etc.

The specific authorization is articulated in municipal ordinances and proclamations, but it relates to the basic citizen security regulations (Organic Law 4/2015).

Assembly in a public thoroughfare?

When the event mainly consists of a gathering of people in a public place, it may fall under the right of assembly, regulated by Organic Law 9/1983 (amended by Organic Law 9/1999). The political and legal key is the nature: if the event is recreational-cultural and managed as a show, the show legislation applies; if it has a protest or reivindicative nature, the organization must notify the Government Delegation as a meeting or demonstration.

Occupational risk prevention and technical safety

If hired personnel or organized volunteers are involved, the promoting entity must apply occupational health and safety regulations, including the minimum provisions on workplaces of Royal Decree 486/1997 and on the use of work equipment of Royal Decree 1215/1997. In practice, this implies:

• Assessing basic risks (falls due to uneven terrain, electrical wiring for lighting, use of ladders, etc.).
• Establishing instructions for assembly and disassembly of telescopes and structures.
• Designating safety officers and providing basic first aid.

Protection of minors

Autonomous show laws and sectoral regulations usually contain specific rules for minors: time slots, alcohol consumption, access and stay. A family night astronomical event must guarantee, for example, that alcohol consumption is not allowed if established by the autonomous law or local ordinance, and that minors are accompanied or supervised according to the conditions set in the authorization.

Data and image protection

If photographs or videos are taken during the observation in which attendees are identifiable, Organic Law 3/2018, on personal data protection, along with the European GDPR, come into play. Typical obligations:

• Clearly inform that images will be taken and for what purpose (dissemination on networks, website, project report, etc.).
• Obtain consent when it is not mere incidental capture of people in a public space.
• Avoid dissemination of close-ups of minors without authorization from those holding parental authority.

Additionally, Organic Law 4/2015 contains a specific sanctioning regime when the use of images affects members of the Security Forces and Corps (art. 36.23, interpreted by rulings such as STC 172/2020 and STC 13/2021), an issue to consider if police are involved in the event.

Civil liability insurance

Although there is no general state law on event insurance, autonomous show laws and many municipal ordinances require the organizer to contract a civil liability insurance with sufficient coverage for personal and material damages. Without this policy, authorization may be denied.

Practical summary

In practice, to organize a public observation of a lunar eclipse it is advisable to: (1) consult the applicable autonomous show law and the municipal ordinance on the use of public roads; (2) process the authorization or prior communication required by the city council or community; (3) contract civil liability insurance; (4) prepare a basic safety and risk prevention plan for staff and attendees; (5) set specific rules for minors; and (6) plan image treatment according to Organic Law 3/2018. No further information is available in the consulted sources about additional specific requirements for lunar eclipses.

The National Geographic Institute (IGN) is, within the General State Administration, the body assigned the competence to provide official information on astronomy and, at the same time, one of the pillars of space geodesy and Earth observation in Spain. In the dissemination of astronomical events (such as eclipses, solstices, or planetary alignments) it acts as a reference source, developing portals, interactive maps, and official broadcasts. Additionally, through its observatories (particularly Yebes and the National Astronomical Observatory) it combines cutting-edge research with educational activities and outreach visits. In space geodesy, it provides the infrastructures and reference systems that allow precise observation of the Earth and the near space environment.

Institutional framework and formal competencies

IGN is configured as a General Directorate attached to the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. According to the protocol published in the BOE, its functions and competencies are collected in article 16 of Royal Decree 253/2024, cited in the resolution on geographic information and in subsequent agreements with universities, such as those published in the agreement with the University of Castilla-La Mancha and the agreement with the University of Las Palmas. Among these functions are:

• Production and management of basic geospatial information, national observation and digitization plans of the territory, and the National Cartographic Plan 2025‑2028, whose coordinating role is also highlighted in the newspaper Demócrata explaining the plan approved by the Government in this analysis.
• Management of historical and heritage funds of the institute itself, with a clear cultural and scientific dissemination aspect.

Provider of official astronomical information

The Ministry of Transport's note launching the specific eclipse website emphasizes that IGN “has the competencies to provide official information on astronomy through the National Astronomical Observatory” (eclipse website 2026‑2028). For the so-called “Iberian Trio” of eclipses (2026, 2027, and 2028) IGN has developed a portal that:

• Collects astronomical calculations for more than 8,000 municipalities, with start, maximum, and end times, duration, and geometric data of the phenomenon.
• Includes interactive searchers and viewers, developed with the National Center for Geographic Information (CNIG), which allow planning the observation from any point in Spain.
• Offers outreach content about the nature of eclipses, their cultural and historical impact, and scientific relevance, as well as eye safety recommendations.

This function is also reflected in Demócrata's information, which points to IGN as the source of the interactive map to consult the eclipse path and visibility in each municipality (2026 eclipse map) and as a reference for visibility data and schedules in pieces like this guide.

Dissemination and safety in major astronomical events

IGN's outreach role has intensified with the sequence of eclipses planned between 2026 and 2028. The Ministry of Transport presents the publication of the eclipse website as part of an “intense scientific dissemination campaign” with publications, courses, and lecture cycles (ministerial note). Additionally, another Transport note details how specific digital resources have been enabled to plan the observation of the total eclipse on August 12, 2026 (resources for the eclipse).

From the journalistic field, Demócrata highlights that IGN has begun to disseminate safety protocols for solar observation, insisting on the use of certified glasses and discouraging homemade solutions (tourism impact of the eclipse, advice on glasses, free glasses). Another piece explains that IGN offers an official broadcast in Spanish of the eclipse, integrated into its website and YouTube channel (official IGN broadcast).

IGN observatories as dissemination nodes

The Yebes Observatory (Guadalajara), an IGN center, is one of the pillars of this strategy. The official note on its 50th anniversary describes it as a world reference in astronomy, space geodesy, and Earth observation, and highlights that “it plays a relevant role in astronomy dissemination by conducting daily visits for students […] as well as families and the general public on weekends” (Yebes Observatory anniversary). For the total eclipse of 2026, the Government has designated Yebes as the official monitoring center, enabling the institutional signal there for media and citizens, with participation from IGN specialists and other bodies (economic impact, eclipse chronicle, Science Ministry signal).

The National Astronomical Observatory, also dependent on IGN, provides the basic astronomical calculations used both on official websites and in many media reports, including those of the newspaper Demócrata about solstices and seasons (start of summer 2026).

IGN and space geodesy

Beyond dissemination, IGN is key in space geodesy. The protocol between Transport and Defense for space surveillance indicates that IGN has among its functions the “technological development and operational management of its own instrumentation and infrastructures for space geodesy,” aiming to establish stable and precise reference systems that serve as a basis for Earth observation (IGN-Defense agreement, also reflected in this note). For this, it has a network of geodetic stations in Yebes that integrate techniques such as satellite laser ranging (SLR), useful even for tracking space debris.

In summary, IGN combines normative competencies as a producer of official geospatial information with a very visible role in the scientific communication of astronomical phenomena, providing calculations, digital tools, safety protocols, and live coverage of the main celestial events affecting Spain.

Other contents where IGN's role or the institutional and scientific context of this dissemination appear can be consulted at: astronomy and cartography scholarships, note on the total solar eclipse, internship agreement in Government delegations, Balearic commission for the eclipse, Interministerial Commission of the Eclipse Trio, coordination meeting chaired by Sánchez, explanation of a lunar eclipse and a wide number of Demócrata news about astrotourism, safety, and institutional coordination: official observation points, preparations in Catalonia, eclipse schedules, coordination with city councils, commemorative stamp, BOE of the eclipse commission, call for prudence, Parliament support, tourist estimate, weekly economic impact, planetary alignments, Civil Guard operation, explanation of the geoid, Transport-FEMP agreement, bicentennial of IGN's founder, infrastructure improvement in Yebes and chronicle of the “historic darkness”, among others.

The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) is a state agency dependent on the State with a governance model based on a governing body (Presidency and Governing Council), an executive body (Directorate), and a control body (Control Commission), adapted in 2026 to the general scheme of Law 40/2015. In astronomical phenomena such as the “Eclipse Trio” 2026‑2028, AEMET does not calculate the astronomical part but provides the key layer of weather forecasting, integrates its data into the tools of the National Geographic Institute (IGN), and coordinates alerts with Civil Protection. This collaboration is also articulated through the Interministerial Commission for the Eclipse Trio, where the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, on which AEMET depends, participates along with Science, Transport, and ten other ministries. The result is a joint device in which IGN, the National Astronomical Observatory, ESA, AEE, IAC, and other bodies provide the astronomical part and AEMET guarantees the official information on cloudiness, meteorological risks, and emergency support.

Composition and governing bodies of AEMET

Recent parliamentary and government information indicates that Spanish state agencies share a common institutional architecture. According to the agency analysis collected by the newspaper Demócrata, each agency has:

• Governing body: a Presidency and a Governing Council, appointed at the proposal of the ministry to which the agency is attached. This scheme is described for other state agencies in pieces such as that of the new Public Policy Evaluation Agency (Demócrata – Public Policy Evaluation), and is replicated for AEMET when the Council of Ministers approves the update of its statute.
• Executive body: the Directorate, responsible for ordinary management and technical and scientific operations.
• Control body: a Control Commission, responsible for supervising the execution of the management contract and economic-financial monitoring.

The Council of Ministers of April 7, 2026, as recorded by Demócrata in its agreement chronicle (Council of Ministers 7/4/2026), approves the new Statute of the State Meteorological Agency. That text:

• “Reviews the functions of the agency's governing bodies – including the Governing Council and the Control Commission –.”
• “Adapts its structure to the model of state agencies, establishing a separation between governing and executive functions.”

In parallel, Demócrata recalls in another piece that AEMET “is the public body in charge of weather forecasting and monitoring in Spain,” that it “depends on the State,” and that among its functions are forecasts, warnings for adverse phenomena, and technical support to civil protection (interview about AEMET).

AEMET's role in the dissemination of astronomical phenomena

Institutional coordination for the “Eclipse Trio”

The eclipses of 2026, 2027, and 2028 have given rise to a specific coordination structure. The Council of Ministers creates the Interministerial Commission for the Eclipse Trio 2026‑2027‑2028 by royal decree, as recorded by the Ministry of Science (creation of the Interministerial Commission). The commission:

• Is attached to the Ministry of Science, chaired by Secretary of State Juan Cruz Cigudosa.
• Involves 13 ministries, including Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, political responsible for AEMET, and Transport, on which IGN depends (analysis in Demócrata, first meeting of the Commission).

According to this regulation and Demócrata's coverage, the Commission coordinates scientific dissemination, mobility, security, civil protection, and tourism, and has been defining safe observation points, traffic plans, and health recommendations.

Collaboration with IGN and National Astronomical Observatory

The Ministry of Transport, through IGN and the National Astronomical Observatory, has created a specific eclipse portal. The official note explains that:

• IGN provides the official astronomical information.
• The cartographic viewers of the National Center for Geographic Information allow planning the observation in more than 8,000 municipalities.
• These viewers integrate “weather forecasts provided by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET)” (MITMA note, Transport note).

That is, the calculation of the eclipse path and schedules is done by IGN-OAN, while AEMET provides the “meteorological layer” (forecasted cloudiness, etc.) that the portal overlays on the astronomical maps.

Special bulletins and support to Civil Protection

The Science note on the total eclipse of August 12, 2026 details that the Government has launched the official website trioeclipses.es, which is fed with two types of information:

• Practical and astronomical information (observation recommendations, path viewers, outreach resources), coordinated by Science and IGN.
• A special meteorological forecast by AEMET, updated daily, with “expected weather evolution, cloudiness forecast, possible adverse meteorological phenomena, maximum temperatures, and fire danger index,” complemented with an interactive cloudiness viewer (Moncloa note on the eclipse).

The same note emphasizes that AEMET “provides support to Civil Protection authorities,” so its information is integrated into specific plans approved by the Interior Ministry and operational alerts to the public.

Additionally, a prior Government note specifies that AEMET strengthens its forecasts and issues a specific bulletin days before the eclipse, as recorded in the communication about the special forecast (AEMET forecast for the eclipse).

Relation with ESA and international bodies

At the international level, the Ministry of Finance recalls that, according to AEMET's Statute approved by Royal Decree 186/2008, the Agency exercises Spain's representation functions before international meteorological organizations such as EUMETSAT (Finance note on contributions to EUMETSAT). Although these forums are meteorological and climatic, they are key to feeding satellite data to the forecasts later used also in campaigns linked to astronomical phenomena (eclipses, solar storms, etc.), where the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) participate in dissemination and scientific monitoring, as shown in the Moncloa note on the Yebes Observatory (eclipse and Yebes).

In summary, AEMET's institutional composition – Presidency, Governing Council, Directorate, and Control Commission – and its integration in the Interministerial Commission of the eclipses allow its meteorological forecasts to be coordinated with IGN, OAN, ESA, AEE, and other actors, so that major astronomical phenomena are disseminated to the public with complete scientific information: astronomical and meteorological.